Means for water defrosting of refrigeration plates

ABSTRACT

A water defrosting means for a plurality of refrigeration plates which is simply constructed, reliably operable and easily removed for cleaning. The defrosting means for each plate is made up of a pair of tubular elements positioned on opposite sides of the plate upper edge of flange. A header connects all of the tubular elements for a simultaneous supply of water thereto. Each header has a series of generally uniformly spaced water flow apertures which are directed toward the plate upper edge so as to provide, over the entire surface of the plate, a flow of water which is sufficient to defrost the plate sides.

United States Patent 91 Apple, Jr. [451 Apr. 17,1973

[ MEANS FOR WATER DEFROSTING OF 3,042,381 7/1962 Losak ..62/282 REFRIGERATION PLATES Primary Examinerwilliam J. Wye [75] Inventor. App Jn, Arlington Att0mey Hward Markey at al- [7 3] Assignee: Dole Refrigerating Company, 57 ABSTRACT Chicago, Ill. A water defrosting means for a plurality of refrigera- Filed} p 1971 tion plates which is simply constructed, reliably opera- [21] Appl. No.: 179,937 ble and easily removed for cleaning. The defrosting means for each plate is made up of a pair of tubular elements positioned on opposite sides of the plate [52] US. Cl ...62/282, 62/82 upper edge of flange. A header connects l of the [51] lift. Cl ..F25d 21/10 hula. elements f a Silnultaneous Supply of water [58] FIG! of Search ..62/82, 282; 1/282 thereto Each header has a Series of generally r uniformly spaced water flow apertures which are [56] References 't directedtoward the plate upper edge so as to provide, UNITED STATES PATENTS over the entire surface of the plate, a flow of water which is sufficient to defrost the plate sides. 2,097,851 11/1937 Wenzl ..62/282 2,632,312 3 1953 Polk 6 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures m /i I Q PATENTEUMR 71975 SHEET 1 OF 2 a 0 I K/ e 0 0 MAW W m QM M fl /l a Z J Z V Z 4 i ZZZ 3 0 Ix I W and? 0 my AU M MEANS FOR WATER DEFROSTING OF REFRIGERATION PLATES SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in water defrosting and has for a primary purpose a reliably operable, simple and compact water distribution means for use in defrosting refrigeration plates.

Another purpose is a water defrosting means of the type described utilizing a pair of tubular elements positioned along opposite sides of 'the plate upper edge or flange for distributing water over the plate surfaces.

Another purpose is a distribution means of the type described in which each of the tubular elements have generally uniformly spaced water flow apertures directed toward the plate upper edge.

Another purpose is a water distribution system of the type described in which the water flow apertures are sized to provide a generally uniform pressure drop across the apertures to thus establish uniform water flow along the entire plate area.

Other purposes will appear in the ensuring specification, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is illustrated diagrammatically in the following drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a partial end elevation'of a refrigeration unit, with parts broken away for clarity,

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of the plate upper edge showing the water distribution system applied thereto,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the water distribution system, and v 3 FIG. 5 is a side view showing the water distribution system.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 the evaporation or cooling portion of a refrigeration system is indicated at and may include a metal housing 12 within which are positioned a plurality of individual refrigeration plates 14. The invention may be used with any number of refrigeration plates, although customarily there are at least two such plates and, generally, units are not made with more than four, although this is not a limitation on the invention. The plates may be suitably supported within the housing 12, with the detail of the plate supporting means, as well as the plates themselves, forming no part of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the defrosting means disclosed herein may be used with a variety of different refrigeration plates, but

the particular plates shown herein are of the general type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,875,595 issued on March 3, 1959 to Herman W. Kleist.

Refrigeration plates are generally used to refrigerate vehicles such as trucks or railroad cars and contain a suitable eutetic solution which is normally frozen during the non-use hours and thus cools circulating air during the use hours or when the vehicle is transporting perishable foods. It has been found that after a period of use such plates accumulate a coating of frost which reduces their cooling efficiency. Accordingly, it is customary to defrost such plates on a periodic interval.

One presently used method of defrosting is to apply water to the upper edge or flange of the plates so that the water may run down on the plates and thus remove the frost. Normally the water, as it flows down the plate edges, will flow behind the layer of frost and thus remove the frost from the inside toward the outside. A-

similar water defrosting method is shown in U. S. Pat. No. 3,042,381 issued on July 3, 1962 to E. M. Lasak et al. The present invention is an improvement on the defrosting means shown in the Lasak patent.

Turning to FIGS. 2,3, 4 and 5, each of the plates 14 include an upper flange or upper edge 16 generally at one side of the plate. However, with a different plate configuration, the upper flange or upper edge could be at the center of the plate. The plates are generally large and flat with the larger sides 18 and 20 being the areas that principally require defrosting. Positioned on opposite sides of the upper edge 16 are a pair of tubular elements or tubes 22. Each of the tubes have .an angular upwardly extending portion 24 which connects to a header 26, the header having a water supply conduit 28 for attachment to a conventional source of water.

A plurality of spring clips 30 are used to attach the tubes 22 along the upper edge or flange 16. As shown herein each of the spring clips has outer curved ends 32 which fit the sides of the tubes 22 and thus hold the tubes on top of the upper edge 16.

The tubes 22 run generally the length of the plate upper edge or flange 16 and have their far ends 34 closed, for example by a conventional pinch closure. There are a plurality of water flow apertures 36 on each of the tubes, with the water flow apertures being directed, as shown in FIG. 3, at an angle of on the order of about 49 with the right side of the plate upper edge or flange 16 and about 21 with the left side. The angle at which the water is directed toward the plates is important to provide a flow of water rather than a spray and a flow of water which will start as close as possible to the upper edge of the plate. Note particularly the water flow arrows in FIG. 1, which show the path of the water as it flows along the side 18 and across the top and down side 20.

The water flow apertures 36 may be generally uniformly spaced so as to provide a uniform flow over the plate surfaces. It is important that pressure drop across the water apertures be generally uniform so that the flow of water from each aperture is substantially the same. Since the header connection to the tubes 22 is at one end of the tubes, in some applications in which the tubes extend a substantial distance, the apertures 36 closest to the header are smaller than the apertures at the far end adjacent the closed tube end 34. For example, in some applications there may be a series of apertures near the header which are of one size and a second series. of apertures away from the header which are of a larger size.

The angle of the water holes or apertures is important so as to direct the water along the sides and not at such an angle that substantial portions of the upper ends of the sides would be missed by the water flow. The water flows behind the ice or frost and melts the ice from the inside out. This is to be distinguished from a spray on the outer surface of the ice which melts it from the outside in, a much slower process.

Of particular importance is the manner of attaching the tubes by spring clips to the upper edge of the plates. This method of attachment provides for easy removal of the tubes for cleaning. Many times water impurities may tend to clog or otherwise close the water flow apertures 36 and it is important to have the tubular elements easily removable for cleaning.

Although the invention is shown with the header at one end of the tubular elements, it iswithin the scope of the invention to place the header at an intermediate point. Ease of construction dictates that the header be at one end.

Whereas the preferred form of the invention has been shown and described herein, it should be realized that there may be many modifications, substitutions and alterations thereto.

Iclaim:

1. In a defrosting means for refrigeration plates and the like in which a plurality of plates are to be defrosted, I

water distribution means for each plate including a pair of hollow tubular elements positioned along opposite sides on an upper edge of the plate, means for attaching said tubular elements to the upper edge, including a plurality of yielding elements, with each yielding'element extending over the plate upper edge and the tubular elements, each tubular element having a plurality of spaced water flow apertures directed toward the plate to provide and maintain a flow of water downwardly across the plate surfaces throughout generally the entire plate wall area,

a header and connections between said header and tubular elements for supplying water thereto.

2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said header is positioned generally at one end of said tubular elements, with the connections between the header and tubular elements being adjacent the tubular element ends.

the like, in which a plurality of plates are to be defrosted,

water distribution means for each plate including apair of hollow tubular elements positioned along opposite sides on an upper edge of the plate, means for attaching said tubular elements to the upper edge, each tubular element having a plurality of generally uniformly spaced water flow apertures directed toward the plate to provide and maintain a flow of water downwardly across the plate surfaces throughout generally the entire plate wall area,

a header positioned generally adjacent one end of the tubular elements, and a connection between the header and the tubular elements, the apertures in the tubular elements close to the header being smaller than the apertures adjacent the opposite end of the tubular elements. 6. In a defrosting means for refrigeration plates and the like, in which a plurality of plates are to be defrosted, water distribution means for each plate including a pair of hollow tubular elements poistioned along opposite sides on an upper edge of the plate, means for attaching said tubular elements to the upper edge, each tubular element having a plurality of spaced water flow apertures directed toward the plate to provide and maintain a flow of water downwardly across the plate surfaces throughout 1 the entire plate wall area, said water flow apertures directing the water toward one of the plate sides generally at an angle of on the order of 49,

a header and connections between said header and tubular elements for supplying water thereto.

is 4 a ae 

1. In a defrosting means for refrigeration plates and the like in which a plurality of plates are to be defrosted, water distribution means for each plate including a pair of hollow tubular elements positioned along opposite sides on an upper edge of the plate, means for attaching said tubular elements to the upper edge, including a plurality of yielding elements, with each yielding element extending over the plate upper edge and the tubular elements, each tubular element having a plurality of spaced water flow apertures directed toward the plate to provide and maintain a flow of water downwardly across the plate surfaces throughout generally the entire plate wall area, a header and connections between said header and tubular elements for supplying water thereto.
 2. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said header is positioned generally at one end of said tubular elements, with the connections between the header and tubular elements being adjacent the tubular element ends.
 3. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that said header and tubular elements are effective to simultaneously supply water to and defrost all of the plurality of said plates.
 4. The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the water flow apertures in each tubular element are sized to provide generally the same water flow from each aperture.
 5. In a defrosting means for refrigeration plates and the like, in which a plurality of plates are to be defrosted, water distribution means for each plate including a pair of hollow tubular elements positioned along opposite sides on an upper edge of the plate, means for attaching said tubular elements to the upper edge, each tubular element having a plurality of generally uniformly spaced water flow apertures directed toward the plate to provide and maintain a flow of water downwardly across the plate surfaces throughout generally the entire plate wall area, a header positioned generally adjacent one end of the tubular elements, and a connection between the header and the tubular elements, the apertures in the tubular elements close to the header being smaller than the apertures adjacent the opposite end of the tubular elements.
 6. In a defrosting means for refrigeration plates and the like, in which a plurality of plates are to be defrosted, water distribution means for each plate including a pair of hollow tubular elements poistioned along opposite sides on an upper edge of the plate, means for attaching said tubular elements to the upper edge, each tubular element having a plurality of spaced water flow apertures directed toward the plate to provide and maintain a flow of water downwardly across the plate surfaces throughout the entire plate wall area, said water flow apertures directing the water toward one of the plate sides generally at an angle of on the order of 49*, a header and connections between said header and tubular elements for supplying water thereto. 